Coming Home
by bewithkate
Summary: Castle returns home from a book tour to find his sleeping pregnant wife and kids.
**Hi! I'm a new co-writer for this account :-). My name is Hannah and my Twitter account is katherinebecktt. This is the first time I've ever written a fanfic just to let you all know so I hope I haven't done too bad of a job! I hope to write more fanfics and get better.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Castle, it belongs to the wonderful Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC.**

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The car door slammed beside him, and as Castle sat there in the back of the taxi, he sighed a breath of relief. He loved going on book tours, meeting all of his fans who made him who he is today, but he wasn't going to lie to himself; the ride from the airport back to the loft was one of his favourite parts of the trip. Ever since his two sons were born, it was even harder to leave his wife and children to go and sign books for a few days. Everyday while he was away, Kate had texted him updates of her day with the two terrors. Castle would chuckle to himself at the mischief and cheekiness his sons would subject their mother to, a trait that he, without a doubt, passed down to them. Sometimes he was even lucky enough to be sent a photo of them sound asleep, but it was always attached with a caption along the lines of, "You so owe for me for this."

Castle smiled to himself as he imagined himself unlocking the door to the loft, walking into the comfort of his family's own home and finally being able to see his wife and kids. Lately, he felt extra regretful about leaving for book tours over the past few months with Kate currently seven months pregnant. Crystal clear in his memory, he still remembers the day he and Kate had found out she was pregnant with their third child. Both of them sat side by side on the edge of the bathtub, staring down the pregnancy test in Kate's lap, anticipating whether two blue lines in a positive sign were going to appear or not. Soon enough, a positive sign was clear to see, and before Castle could even blink, let alone react, Kate had jumped up into his arms and wrapped her legs around his hips. Her face was beaming with tears in her eyes, and Castle grinned back at her whilst exclaiming, "We're having another baby!". When Kate decided to take a pregnancy test after having several bouts of morning sickness and noticing that her bras were feeling too tight, Castle wasn't sure about how she was going to react if they found out they were pregnant. After all, this one wasn't planned like the other two, but Castle knew he himself wouldn't feel anything but overwhelming joy if she did turn out to be pregnant. His uncertainty was of course quickly dispelled the second Kate had sprung onto him, and this feeling of having another addition to their perfect family was something he considered to be indescribable, even for a best-selling author like himself.

A few months later, Castle and Kate discovered at the ultrasound that they were going to be having a girl. It was no secret to Castle that Beckett had always wanted a little girl, and he could see the pure elation on her face as the gynocologist delivered the news. On their way home, Castle was overly giddy in the car, not just from the life-changing news they had received that day, but also over the fact that the "time-traveller" from a case years ago had been right all along about he and Kate having three children.

"Do you know what this means, Beckett? This is even further proof that time travelling back and forth into the past and future is real."

Beckett shot Castle "the look", her classic glare. "So, we've just found out we're going to have a daughter and all you can think about is the concept of time travel?" Castle watched her roll her eyes and fold her arms and decided it was best to shut up. He knew all too well from much previous experience that once your wife is pregnant, you are from now on always in the wrong.

"Hey buddy, we're here," the taxi driver chirped, interrupting Castle's soon-to-be-true fantasies of Alexis playing with his baby daughter.

Castle paid the driver, thanked him, swiftly got out of the taxi and grabbed his suitcase from the boot. He made his way up to the loft and when he finally arrived at the door he opened it as silently as he could. It was late, almost midnight, and the last thing he wanted was trying to get a six year old and a four year old back into bed who would rather stay up with their dad after missing him for several days.

Once inside, Castle put down his suitcase by the coat rack, took his shoes off and made his way upstairs. He had made a habit of checking in on his sons and watching them sleep whenever he got back late from a book tour; it was almost like a ritual. He padded softly into Riley's room first, but as he peeked around the door, he couldn't see a little ball snuggled up underneath the duvet. "Must be sleeping with his big brother tonight," he muttered to himself as he walked a little down the hallway to Benjamin's room. As he tiptoed in, expecting to see his two boys lying side by side together, his eyes were met with an empty bed. For a brief moment, Castle started to panic in his mind, realising he hadn't actually seen Kate yet. Where could they be? Castle chortled at his own few seconds of fear as he remembered Benjamin and Riley often took advantage of their parents' king-sized bed while he was away, and liked to sleep alongside their mother.

Castle approached him and Kate's bedroom, and as he stood in the entrance, he felt like his heart was about to immediately burst at the sight before him. His wife, Benjamin and Riley were all fast asleep on top of the duvet looking as peaceful as ever. Castle quietly laughed to himself at how Benjamin was splayed out like a starfish on the left, taking up most of the room on the bed. Kate was in the middle, lying on her side, the swell of her pregnant belly poking out from underneath her t-shirt. Riley was lying in his typical fetal position on the right, making him seem even tinier. The blinds were still open, and the moonlight filtered through into the bedroom, softening all the features on their faces. Castle wished this moment could never end, watching his pregnant wife sleeping soundly with their two sons in their own bed. He still couldn't believe his luck after all these years, that Katherine Beckett, the love of his life, wanted to start a family with him, which is exactly what they did.

Castle leaned against the door for a little while longer, just enjoying this blissful moment. He studied Riley's face, internally cooing at how he resembled Beckett so much. Riley had her big shiny, brown eyes and also shared her heart-melting smile. His hair was even the same as his mother's; a light golden brown but almost blonde in the light. Castle's eyes flitted across to Benjamin, his own little mini self. He had Castle's dark brown hair and blue eyes, and it was adorable. Once Benjamin had learned how to speak when he was two years old, it was uncanny the way he talked like his father. Everyone who knew the Castles would always make jokes at how Benjamin was quite literally a mini Richard Castle. Benjamin always came out with the craziest suggestions for family holidays, and had frequent conversations with Castle on the concept of the existence of aliens. Since turning six, he tested Kate's patience more and more each day, his mother having to remind him that Santa Claus was only a short call away if he gave her any more cheek. Whenever Kate was scolding their two boys, telling off Benjamin more often than Riley since he was the ultimate trouble maker, Castle would always glance across to them with a look saying, "Listen to your mom. Trust me, I know this lecture too."

Just before Castle was about to leave Kate, his boys and his very very little girl be, he decided to capture this moment on his phone. As he took the picture, it reminded of him from years ago when he would watch Kate sleep in the mornings. He had a whole album on his phone named "Sleeping Beckett" to which Kate had no problem in calling him out for being creepy. He smiled as he reminisced, and he turned to leave the bedroom, but heard a dazed, groggy voice from behind him.

"Hey, stranger."

"Hey, you."

Beckett scooted down to the bottom of the bed, perched on the edge. She yawned and outstretched her arms for a hug.

"I'm too fat to move, you have to come over here."

Castle walked over and scooped her up into his arms, bridal style, and she quietly giggled, making sure to not wake up her boys.

Castle kissed her on the lips, and she brought her hands up to his face.

He walked with her into the living room, carefully placing her onto the couch. He sat down behind her back so that she could lie on his stomach. Castle laced his fingers into hers and squeezed tight.

"I missed you so much, Kate. I felt awful about leaving you so heavily pregnant like this with Benji and Riley and.."

Beckett put a finger to his lips. "Oh, stop Castle, I think you seem to forget that I've had plenty of experience with looking after two boys by myself with Espo and Ryan, not to mention caring for you is like having an extra kid too." She chuckled, her laugh echoing ever so slightly through the room, a sound that Castle would never get tired of hearing.

"How are my two girls? She been kicking much whilst I've been gone?" Castle smoothed his hand over her solid bump with Beckett placing her hand on top of his.

"Like you wouldn't believe. I think she noticed her dad was gone, so she was kicking as if to say, "Mom, get him back here right now please.""

Castle laughed. "I know it's so cliché to say this, but maybe she really is destined to be a soccer player," he joked.

"Or, maybe she's just practicing her moves, ready to fight her brothers when they'll inevitably give her hell when she's older."

They both laughed in unison. For a few minutes they just lay there, enjoying the calming silence in the loft.

"So, I was wondering where we're going to sleep tonight since those two have set up camp in our bed?" Castle asked.

"Hmm, well, I think we have no choice but to stay here."

"I have an idea.." Castle said, yet again picking his wife up, running over to the stairs. Beckett squealed in his arms whilst wrapping her own around the back of his neck.

"And where exactly are we going?"

"You'll see."

Castle pushed open the door to Riley's bedroom with his foot and put Beckett down onto his bed.

"Castle, you can't be serious. This bed can hardly fit me with my huge belly, we will not last the whole night in this bed together.."

"I'm serious. I love a challenge. Now scoot over."

Beckett rolled her eyes and murmured, "The things I do for you, Castle."

Beckett shifted across to the wall, lying on her back so that her bump was taking up as minimal room as possible. Castle squeezed in next to her, with great difficulty, resulting in both of them in fits of laughter.

"I won't even be able to fall asleep, I have to focus on my breathing so I don't get suffocated against this wall by you, old man."

Castle gasped sarcastically. "That was rude but I'll let you off since you are ever so kindly carrying our child."

Beckett grinned and poked him in the stomach. She looked up and couldn't not reward Castle's blue eyes staring back down at her, admiring her every feature, and she lifted her head up and kissed him. Castle, with his eyes closing, thought to himself about how he'd never been happier than in this moment. As Beckett drifted off to sleep, she couldn't help but wonder if she was the person the universe had blessed most in life.

By the morning, sure enough, Castle had been kicked out of the bed onto the floor and complained about backache for the rest of the day.


End file.
